24 Hours
by panatlantic
Summary: For reasons of his own, Yuki must spend 24 hours without Shu
1. Default Chapter

00:30:00  
  
Yuki was not the shopping kind.  
  
Before he had always done his grocery shopping online, no mess, no fuss, no personal interaction.  
  
Just the way he liked it.  
  
After? Well food and stuff just appeared in the fridge. He was now forced to accept that maybe Shuichi had been doing the shopping since Shuichi wasn't here and it had magically stopped.  
  
Brilliant deduction.  
  
This wasn't a problem in itself. This is what take-out was for. No the problem wasn't food, it was amenities. Yuki was out of the most fundamental of human needs.  
  
Toilet paper.  
  
Unfortunately the reason Shuichi wasn't here was because Yuki had thrown him out (again) after Shuichi tried to explain just how Ryuichi had blocked the toilet by accidentally flushing Kumagarou (naturally despite Shuichi's continued protestations it was not a Kumagarou sized Jacuzzi).  
  
This was . . . almost understandable. Almost . . . and only then because Yuki had met Ryuichi before. Well the plumber had been able to recover the sodden pink fluff ball, which much to Yuki's disgust had a tearful reunion with its owner and Shuichi both, which involved way too much hugging and kissing considering it had just been in said toilet.  
  
. . . . And an awfully suspicious amount of whispering with the plumber, looks down the toilet and sidelong glances at himself.  
  
"Ano . . . Yuki?" Muttered Shuichi biting his lip cutely . . . before bursting into tears. At which point Yuki threw both -ichi's out and got the whole story from the plumber.  
  
Well. Of course Kumagarou would need Yuki's mobile . . . so he could call if he got lonely. Twitch. And Yuki's sunglasses. Door keys. Toothbrush. Soap. Enough toilet paper to deforest the better part of Brazil . . . and Yuki's credit card, just in case they had a 24 hr 7-11 down there and Kuma was hungry.  
  
Which ultimately led to his current state of Shuichi-less-ness and penchant for paying in cash.  
  
Now - the pink fluffy, or the one-ply home brand?  
  
Exorbitantly expensive - wasteful - clashed horribly with the décor - but he wasn't supposed to be thinking about Shuichi . . . toilet paper was a serious business dammit! Contemptuously he tossed the pink paper in the cart on the grounds it had been closer than the other brand.  
  
. . . In the cart with the pink toothbrush, pink soap, pink shampoo . . . there was definitely a pattern forming here . . . which should have been obvious even to Yuki as he started scanning the beer to see if any came in pink cans.  
  
Maybe he'd give Shu a call . . . . And if Shuichi begged Yuki to forgive him . . . well . . . maybe this once - he was after all the gracious, mature one in this relationship.  
  
Except he didn't have his phone. Scowl. Brat.  
  
How was he supposed to get Shuichi to apologize if he couldn't call him?!??!  
  
Surely not something as uncivilized as visiting him in person?  
  
Absolutely not! . . . That was more of a last resort thing. For when he'd really really realllllly done something bad and Shuichi would be too shocked that he actually came in person to remember that he never wanted to see Yuki again.  
  
No. Yuki felt entirely justified in throwing Shu out this time.  
  
So why did he feel like he was the one being punished here?  
  
Trudging over to the checkout, he had his purchases put through by some woman that was seriously freaking him out with the looks she was giving him before breaking into a sweat at the 6 others that had gotten too close for comfort while he was musing. He knew from experience those innocent looking women who appeared too demure to even make eye contact could turn into a pack of ravening beasts in the blink of an eye if he showed a single moment of weakness - and frankly he wasn't in the mood for a good mauling.  
  
Unless, of course, it was in the privacy of his own home with a certain pink hared baka.  
  
Resolutely he made his way home (he wasn't quite desperate enough yet to use a public phone to call) determined to wait out the 24 hours before calling Hiro (after which Shu could be officially declared missing and stuff, so it'd only be natural to call to check, right?).  
  
22 Hours 38 Minutes Remaining 


	2. PG rating OO

22:00 until Yuki Eiri reaches critical mass. (YE - SS = CM IN t ( 22h ?)  
  
"Wa~ah! I'm bored Kumagarou!" Whined Ryuichi, and indeed this was an extremely volatile state of mind for Ryuichi to be in.  
  
". . . ." Remarked Kumagarou acerbically.  
  
"I KNOW!" Whined Ryuichi again in response, thinking that slightly-damp was an extremely volatile state of mind for Kumagarou to be in. They could be having fun! With Shuichi! Right now! Except for that mean Yuki.  
  
Sure, Ryuichi might have been upset if his own Kuma-kuzzi was out of order (speaking of which he just HAD to get one of those installed) but he didn't have to get all mad 'n stuff and yell at Shu-chan! Now Shu-chan was all sulky and not fun.  
  
". . ." Complained Kumagarou.  
  
"Shu-ichi is all broken now!" Moaned Ryuichi. "But it's okay Kuma! Hiro will make Shu-chan alllll better!" Hiro was almost as good as a doctor! Except no needles. And the magazines in Hiro's weren't a zillion years old and didn't have all the puzzles done yet nanoda!  
  
". . ."  
  
"That's a great idea!" Cheered Ryuichi flinging aside a copy of Tokyo Beat which he had industriously been doodling Tohma hats on all the idols in. "I'll be Shu-chan!"  
  
Pretending was so much fun!  
  
"You can beeeeee. . . " Now. . . who was someone who Shuichi spent lots of time with? Shuichi spent lots of time with Ryuichi, but Kumagarou couldn't be Ryu-chan! That'd just be weird . . . like talking to yourself! "Mou. . . you can be Yuki-chan!"  
  
". . ." Pointed out Kumagarou. It only felt right to add the '-chan' since it was Kumagarou 'n all but Shuichi had advised Ryuichi never to address Yuki as Yuki-chan.  
  
"So desu. . . ." Now. . . how would Shu-chan do it? Ah! "Yuki-sama!" Ryuichi glomped Kumagarou.  
  
". . ." Remarked Kumagarou. Coldly.  
  
"Gomen ne?" Chirped Ryuichi. "Ne? Ne? Yuki?"  
  
". . ." Ryuichi eeped mentally when Kumagarou called him baka. Kuma was so good at this!  
  
"You're so great and wonderful Yuki! You're the most wonderfullest . . . " What was it Yuki did again? Oh yeah! "Typer-guy in the world!" Ryuichi tentatively seated Kumagarou at Hiro's computer. "And the best lover ever! And . . . really good and stuff." Yeah. That was what Shuichi said alllll the time so it had to be true. Of course. . . Ryuichi didn't know what was so wonderful about someone typing. In order to try to understand Shu-chan better (no offense, but the kid was a little spaced out sometimes na no da) he had spent six whole hours staring at Tohma's secretary. Ryuichi still didn't get it. On day two of his stake-out Tohma said he wasn't allowed to do it anymore 'cos the secretary quit 'n stuff, so he probably never would understand...  
  
Kumagarou called Ryuichi a baka again . . .  
  
. . . and promptly threw Ryuichi out of Hiro's apartment.  
  
Perplexed, Ryuichi looked at the pavement appraisingly. Then he had an epiphany.  
  
"THIS ISN'T FUN!" He yelled to nobody in particular. Despite the lack of avocation, several bypasses stared before averting their eyes and hurrying away. Ryuichi tried the doorknob only to find it locked. He scampered over to the window (also locked) and peered in at Kumagarou, still seated at Hiro's computer.  
  
What the heck did Shuichi see in that guy?  
  
If the incident with the secretary had taught Ryuichi anything, it was that you couldn't learn just by observing. For example, util he had 'become' Shuichi, he hadn't realized Yuki was such a meanie (well. . . mostly)! Maybe this was because of the constant brainwash he had received from Mika and Tohma, and later Shuichi, as to what a great guy Yuki was. All Lies! (Except Shu-chan . . . he was probably just deceived 'cos he was so cute 'n innocent 'n vulnerable 'n all.)  
  
Therefore, if he was to help Shuichi, he must BECOME Shuichi! For real! So cool!  
  
Leaving Kumagarou (the agony!) to serve as a decoy Yuki when Hiro and Shuichi came out (a decision aided by the fact that Kumagarou WAS on the other side of the locked door) Ryuichi began to PLOT the DOWNFALL of Yuki Eiri.  
  
* * * * Sometime later (18:50:25)  
  
Yuki simply stared at his late night visitor. It had been 5 hours 9 minutes and 35 seconds since he last saw Shuichi (not counting the music video he'd been . . . how would one put it and keep dignity? Ah yes . . . 'scrutinizing' for the last hour), but he was not yet desperate enough to accept this obvious fake.  
  
"What's the matter Yuki?" Asked 'Shuichi' cutely, piku-pikuing in that endearingly vacant way that the real Shuichi did.  
  
. . . but it WAS a very good fake after all. Like a train wreck, Yuki just couldn't manage to stop staring.  
  
This had to be the best hallucination he'd had yet.  
  
If only . . . Shu-chan was just a wee bit shorter . . . the eye colour was off . . . and maybe 10-15 years younger? Thankfully (though perhaps not for Yuki) these details were lost in his Shu-deprived state. That and Ryuichi HAD gone to the trouble of dying his hair pink. LUCKILY due to Kumagarous 'needs' he had a ready supply of pink hair dye. Kuma-chan wouldn't mind. Probably. OR rather if he never found out. Kekekeke.  
  
"I'm . . . going to work on my book now." Grunted Eiri, having convinced himself that if that colour couldn't exist in nature nor could it exist in his imagination - therefore Shu-chan was safe and sitting on his couch. That 12 pack of Ladies Choice Beer he'd just consumed didn't hurt either  
  
"Oh!! Type! Type!" Chorused 'Shuichi' mock-enthusiastically. Gyeh. If watching that secretary for six hours had taught him anything (aside from that other thing) it was that watching people type was booooOOOOoooooring! (Type Typity Frickin' Type).  
  
He needed an excuse. An excuse to go out of Yuki's study, and one which would allow him to snoop 'n get clues 'n stuff. Like in the sock drawer. The extra-special secret stuff was always in the sock drawer. . . unless the film had a rating higher then PG - then the stuff was in the UNDERWEAR drawer. Ryuichi reallllly hoped this fic was a PG rating since the idea of going through Yuki's underwear was kinda weird - regardless of how apt you were to converse with a stuffed toy.  
  
"Ne, Yuki, you wanna beer?" He offered in what he hoped was an innocent, cute, Shuichi-way. 


	3. nice guys finish last

Note: thankyou for reviews ^_^ (I don't think I saw that enough but anyone else who writes knows what I mean) suggestions always appreciated (and generally used too - I'm a bear of very little stuffing)  
". . . and then . . . and then . . .he threw me out again!" Wailed Shuichi into Hiro's shirt.  
  
His nightshirt as you would expect since it was nearly 2am before Shuichi finally got to the point. Hiro had long ago learnt better than to sleep naked as he was wont to have various Nittle Grasper employees burst through his door in tears at any hour. Seriously, Shuichi wasn't the only one who took advantage of his good nature, hardly a night went by when it wasn't Sakano wailing about press conferences, or Ryuichi crying about Kumagarou's infidelity or K bemoaning firearms legislation.  
  
Running on automatic he patted Shuichi sympathetically on the back. Truthfully he wasn't really paying attention due to the fact he was rather concerned about the silence coming from the other room where he'd left Ryuichi. The last time he'd left Ryuichi alone he'd come out to find Ryuichi immersed in his underwear draw and it wasn't a memory he cared to see reenacted. Sighing in resignation he conceded at least this time he wouldn't have Ayaka and her parents visiting.  
  
"Hiro? Hiro! Are you even listening?" Accused Shuichi waving a hand in front of Hiro's suspiciously glazed eyes.  
  
"Of course!" Sniffed Hiro indignantly. "Yuki threw you out again." After all, there were no deadlines in the next week or so, so what else could it be?  
  
Shuichi glomped Hiro tightly wondering how he could ever have doubted him.  
  
Hiro looked at the bedside clock and wondered how he could possibly draw this out. Inevitably he would have to declare he was going to go beat Yuki up. And then he'd march down to Yuki's apartment and shake his fist at the author a few times and Shuichi would plead for Hiro to stop and and Hiro would slink away in disgrace while Yuki and Shuichi were reunited (in the conjugal way) which kinda ruined his chance of getting a cup of that good coffee Yuki hid under the sink because caffeine was a very good thing and it was way to early in the morning to be thinking. . . if only he could convince Shuichi to put it off for a few hours. . .  
  
"Shuichi! This is serious!" Hiro managed wiping sleepily at one eye. "I need you to repeat everything to me again! In exact detail! Leave out nothing!" He settled back onto the pillow. "I'm going to be concentrating real hard on figuring out what to do, so if I look like I'm sleeping don't disturb me . . . I'm just deep in thought." It seemed like a perfect plan, but then most plans seem to be fool proof when they're concocted at 2am.  
  
"Hiro!" Exclaimed Shuichi in a fresh batch of shoujo tears (which Hiro thought decidedly unfair . . . Shuichi should definitely have been dehydrated by now). "You're so good to me! I don't know how I'd survive without you!" He sniffled graciously as sparkleys coalesced. "I'm so lucky to have a friend like you!"  
  
. . . and the guilt trap was sprung with a decidedly sickening snap. Now Hiro would not only have to listen to the tirade again but he would have to actually pretend to pay attention. Which just goes to show crime doesn't pay na no da. Well. If trying to dupe your best friend was a crime anyway - yes in his sleep-deprived state Hiro had missed one very important factor, and that was that he was essentially a good-guy. Why else would he have picketed with K for Gun reforms? Or accompanied Tohma to AA meetings? He drew the line at taking Kumagarou to a LMARS session however - even good guys had to have a little dignity.  
  
Shuichi meanwhile was looking at Hiro's horrified expression and came to a different conclusion. Hiro seemed genuinely concerned.  
  
He hadn't once (not once!) exclaimed Shuichi was not at fault yet. What the heck was that? Shuichi had quite definitely pointed out that he had told Ryuichi quite clearly that that was indeed a toilet and not a bathing receptacle for Kuma. Sure he might have suggested the sunglasses. . . you could never tell when you might need protection . . . but that ONE little suggestion could hardly make him guilty!  
  
Usually Hiro would just kinda go threaten Yuki a bit and Yuki would take Shuichi back and everything would be as it should be. This didn't seem to be anything more than one of their normal fallings out . . . Maybe . . . maybe Shuichi had missed something important. . .  
  
Thus Hiro found himself party to the director's cut of Shuichi's argument with Yuki, with extra crying and extra panic and extra excruciating detail. . .  
  
. . .and yes, by the time Shuichi was finished, Hiro was well and truly convinced he would find his underwear draw bare. 


	4. Filler 4

DISCLAIMER I cried because I had no Shu, until I met someone that had no fic. . . well it seemed like a good idea when I started typing it . . . but really . . . it's lame n_nU. I can never think of Anything clever for disclaimers, so I usually don't bother v.v * * * * *  
  
Somewhere between the credit card and the plumber, Shuichi had fallen into an advanced state of shock. His brain, having achieved critical mass collapsed in on itself leaving him slumped over Hiro.  
  
Hiro might have even been concerned if it wasn't for the snoring.  
  
Meanwhile DreamShuichi was thinking. It's not like he hadn't thought it before. Sure Hiro was good looking enough, and somewhat of a genius on guitar. . . it was just. . . Hiro was just too . . . tooo . . . what was that word? Ah! 'Straight!' And it was seriously ruining Bad Lucks image - and that whole girlfriend thing? Eeee. . . if only he could be convinced to kiss Suguru on stage or something.. . . yeah he'd have to drop that idea to K. . .  
  
"Hiiiiiroooo! Kissssss-suuuuuuuuuu!" Murmured Shuichi in his sleep.  
  
Which prompted Hiro to find a reason to be wide-awake and not in the bedroom. Which was of course to survey the damage done by Ryuichi who had supposedly been left alone to rampage.  
  
Searching the apartment, Hiro came up with a blank.  
  
It was suspiciously quiet. And neat. And mostly undisturbed. . . except for Kumagarou who was industriously reading Hiro's e-mail. Kumagarou's blatant disregard for his privacy was of course secondary to the fact that somewhere Ryuichi was wandering around without Kuma.  
  
Hiro hadn't been present the last time Ryuichi had lost Kumagarou, but the incident was something of infamy at NG, involving a swat team, a very peevish Noriko and a rather large cheesecake, the significance of which no one seemed particularly willing to relate.  
  
In short, this was bad. Very bad.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"I have a can already." Yuki responded cautiously. Shuichi was usually prying the can out of his hand, not offering him refills. Curiouser and curiouser.  
  
"Need any. . . hmm . . . cigarettes or anything?"  
  
"No, I have a full packet." He patted his pocket meaningfully.  
  
"Okay. . . I'm . . ." Think Ryuichi! Think! What could possibly take 15-20 minutes? "Going to make cake? You like strawberry best, right? Right?" Piku- piku.  
  
"I bought take-out. I already ate but there's some leftovers in the fridge. . ." Offered Yuki in return, rather grateful he had if it meant keeping Shuichi out of the kitchen. Dammit! Was there nothing Yuki didn't do for himself? What was the point in being in a co-dependant relationship if you did everything yourself anyway?  
  
"Er. . . I'll go . . . clean the bathroom then!" Kekekeke. . . After all, the real Shuichi and Kumagarou had made an awful mess in there earlier, and while Ryuichi had no intention of actually cleaning up other peoples (and rabbitses) mess, it must have been a good enough excuse, because Yuki grunted assent. Ryuichi let himself out to search the rest of the apartment in peace.  
  
In his stead, Yuki had a very disturbing thought.  
  
Alcohol. . .  
  
Tobacco. . .  
  
Cholesterol. . .  
  
Shuichi was obviously trying to kill him. The fact that Yuki regularly plied himself with all three was irrelevant.  
  
But why would Shuichi all of a sudden be interested in cleaning? The answer was painfully obvious - Shuichi had given up on his reverse-psychology tact to kill Yuki via alcohol etc. . . . and now he was trying something more direct . . . like household chemicals.  
  
He crept over to the doorway, placing one ear to the door. When his attempt to hear anything proved futile (his own error, he had installed the soundproofing himself) he gingerly opened it a crack.  
  
* * * *  
  
Ryuichi soon discovered ransacking peoples homes without Kumagarou just wasn't as fun. Sure he knew where Shuichi kept all the good things hidden, but today he was only supposed to be going through Yuki's stuff.  
  
Boring.  
  
Boring.  
  
Booooooring.  
  
The only cool things he had found so far was a collection of naked pictures of Yuki that Shuichi kept hidden in a secret compartment under the couch and the knowledge of the rather stylish beer brand Yuki drank (and Tohma would pay good money for both).  
  
He still could not understand why Shuichi stayed with Yuki . . . unless maybe Shuichi was really, really thick or something . . . but that couldn't be it . . . Shuichi was one of the smartest people Ryuichi knew. Looked distastefully toward Yuki's underwear drawer, Ryuichi knew what he must do. Tentatively he reached into the drawer.  
  
. . . and yes, Yuki did indeed wear boxers. Why Shuichi had lied about this was beyond Ryuichi's comprehension. Ohhhh! And they were super cute! With little embroidered pictures of Yuki-chans all over. Kawaiiiiii!  
  
"What are you doing?" Asked Yuki from the doorway.  
  
Ryuichi went into panic mode, hiding the underwear behind his back. Cool. Calm. Collected. "Nothing. Nope. Certainly not going through your underwear drawer. . . "  
  
Curses.  
  
"Shuichi. . . that's. . . your underwear." Stated Yuki confused. Naturally the rush of adrenaline resulting from the realization that Shuichi was trying to kill him had sobered him enough to notice the faux pas.  
  
"Of course it is." Ryuichi held up the pants casually. "Yes! It is MY underwear!" Ewwwww. . . it was Shuichi's underwear. . . that was almost as bad as touching girl's underwear . . . "I was just . . . looking."  
  
Thankfully normal conversation with Shuichi was cryptic at best (or maybe it was still the beer), so Yuki was unable to come up with a suitable reply.  
  
"I thought you were going to clean the bathroom."  
  
"Yes. I was going to do that as soon as I have . . . changed my underwear." Ryuichi adopted a suitably horrified look when Yuki didn't look away. Obviously Yuki-san was some sort of . . . of . . . pervert. "Yuki! I'm trying to change!" He yelped, outraged.  
  
A rather baffled Yuki had the dignity to blush and step outside the room, at which Ryuichi put the underwear back in the drawer with a shudder, sure his credibility might be in question, since obviously Shuichi had no problems with Yuki seeing him naked (probably this was due to the fact that they shared a bathroom or something) but no way was he putting on other peoples underwear (except that one time, but they were such nice, pretty panties so he could hardly be faulted . . . anyone would have done the same, and Mika had even said he could keep them).  
  
Meanwhile, Yuki who had been banished form the bedroom was rather confused. Maybe because he was usually the banisher, and never the banishee. He felt like crawling over to that door right now, clawing his way through and demanding to see his naked lover. Wow. So this was what it felt like to be Shuichi. With a shudder, Yuki put this particularly disturbing epiphany to the back of his mind and hoped it was one of those alcohol-induced things you forgot about later. 


	5. in text format i couldn't upload it othe...

""SHUICHI!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
"Wha. . .?" Shuichi startled awake at Hiro's yell, before throwing aside the blanket to go see what the commotion was. Really Hiro had no compassion waking him up like that when he was so obviously feeling sorry for his un-Yuki'd self. But then again, maybe Yuki had turned over a new leaf! Maybe . . . maybe Yuki had realized that that whole playing-hard-to-get shtick was wearing thin and was RIGHT NOW downstairs burning with love-love passion! Wanting to express his feelings to Shuichi with flowers and pocky and moonlit walks! It had, after all, happened once before!  
  
Of course Yuki had been stoned at the time . . . and nobody, not even Mika (who was mostly family . . . well . . . 'mostly' because Tatsuha entrusted shu with this incredibly believable theory involving Aliens just a few days ago) had known eating poppy seeds would have that kind of effect on Yuki. But that was irrelevant! Those had been the happiest 43 minutes and 12 seconds of Shuichi's life! He hadn't even known it was possible to do that kind of thing with a jar of peanuts and an electric toothbrush!  
  
Bounding down the stairs ecstatically, Shuichi came upon a frantic Hiro. Glancing hopefully around the room he found Yuki!   
  
"Yuuuuuuuuuuuuukiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" He screamed rapturously pouncing. Sure he remembered Yuki being. . . well 'taller'. . . and maybe 'blonde'. . . and definitely 'anti-social' (Yuki was never ever this casual about public shows of affection) . . . "You're not Yuki!" He screamed holding Kuma at arms length. While Shuichi might have been generally speaking . . . 'less-observant' than his lover, he didn't have the benefit of being inebriated, hence there was no way that (now he looked more closely) this could be Yuki.  
  
"Hiiiiro!" Whined Shuichi looking accusingly in Hiro's direction. "Did you dress Kumagarou up as Yuki to try to trick me? That's just mean!" Sniffling to himself, Shuichi worked up a fresh batch of tears.  
  
"Shuichi! Let's go to Yuki's place right now!" Decided Hiro, depositing Kumagarou in Shuichi's arms and grabbing his keys. The sooner he got rid of Shuichi the sooner he could concentrate on returning Kumagarou to Ryuichi, and the sooner he could forget the insanity and sleep. Sleep was good.  
  
"Demo . . . Hiro, shouldn't we think about this first or something?" This was no time for Shuichi to be becoming self-aware! There was an extremely popular singer with the mentality of a 5-year-old running around Tokyo without his Kuma! "We have to formulate plans! And strategies! Maybe Yuki just needs some time alone? I could stay with you for a while! You wouldn't mind, ne? Ne?"  
  
So Hiro did the sensible thing and deftly clubbed Shuichi on the back of the head with a conveniently placed fire extinguisher. Tying the temporarily unconscious Shuichi and Kuma (who was kinda . . . always unconscious) to the back of his motorcycle, Hiro headed for Yuki's apartment.  
  
* * * *   
  
It had been a good amount of time since Yuki prayed, but now, cowering in fear on his own couch while his homicidal lover rampaged just feet away, seemed like a good time to start. Since Shuichi had locked himself in the bedroom there had been a few punctuated squeals followed by a morbidly fascinating stretch of silence.  
  
Now normally when someone came to the door at this time of night, Yuki ignored it, no matter how many times, or how politely they knocked. This time was the exception of course, which was just as well since Hiro had searched Shuichi for a key already and come up blank.  
  
Throwing the door open wide, Yuki found Nakano. Now if only it wasn't against Yuki's nature to beg for help. Nakano blinked a few times and Yuki responded with a twitch. Having acknowledged each other as much as they normally did, Yuki finally broke the ice.  
  
"What do you want?" He asked as expressionlessly as he could manage. He might have blown some cigarette smoke in the others face, but he'd decided to quit just to foil Shuichi's plans earlier. He finally settled for looking menacing.  
  
"PLEASE! PLEASE TAKE HIM BACK!" Demanded Hiro, grabbing desperately at Yuki's shirt. Before thrusting the unconscious body at the writer. To Hiro's abject horror, Yuki looked at the body, before trudging back inside. Hiro taking this as some kind of rejection, began to panic. More.  
  
Back inside, Yuki went over to the bedroom, forced the door, and found 'Shuichi' sleeping in his sock drawer. He wandered back to the front door where the weeping Hiro was trying to revive Shuichi with a box of pocky. Wandering back to the bedroom it finally occurred to him that this might not be Shuichi. After all, Shuichi knew he wasn't allowed to sleep in Yuki's closet. He hadn't been allowed to do that since the time he fell asleep in there with wet hair and stained all Yuki's shirts fushia.  
  
Carrying Ryuichi by the scruff of his neck back to the door, Hiro threw him at the waiting Hiro, before nudging Shuichi with one slippered foot. Shuichi woke up immediately.   
  
"YUUUUUUUKIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sorry! I'll never do it again! I'm bad! Bad bad bad!" Wailed Shuichi, latching onto the author. Yuki, simply relieved to have the real Shuichi back, decided not to bother negotiating too much, instead he leaned forward to whisper something to Shuichi who gave a happy squee and had the majority of his clothes stripped off before he disappeared into the bedroom. Definitely the real Shuichi then.   
  
Just to be on the safe, Yuki glared at Hiro and the fake a bit, before closing the door on them and going to join Shuichi. Hiro took this all rather well. Probably because he was used to it. In fact, he was even quite pleased with the transaction, which was definitely smoother than usual. He'd been prepared to settle for Yuki taking Shuichi for two days in three.  
  
Hiro gave Ryuichi a few shakes to wake him up. "Ohayo Hiro-chan!" Sang Ryuichi waking up with a yawn. "Where's Shuichi?" He asked innocently. Hiro was always around when Shuichi was. Maybe they were friends or something.  
  
"He's with Yuki-san right now."   
  
"Ah! Yuki-san is mean! All he wants to do is look at naked people and type!" Warned Ryuichi shaking his head in a disapproving manner for emphasis. "We have to warn Shuichi!"   
  
"Ah. . . well Shuichi might be busy . . . sleeping . . . " Mumbled Hiro. "Why don't we come back later?"  
  
"Oh." Ryuichi conceded. It was awfully dark after all. "Okay! You'll bring me back first thing tomorrow and we can convince Shuichi to leave, right? Right?"  
  
"Er. Sure." Replied Hiro who had just spent 10 minutes of dignity begging Yuki to take Shu back. However, it was most likely Ryuichi would find something else to distract himself within an hour and if not, Hiro had a whole roll of aluminum foil back at his apartment that said otherwise.  
  
"Ah! Where's Kuma! I left him with you!" Ryuichi accused. Hiro remembering Kumagarou was still in Shuichi's pocket pointed wordlessly toward the apartment door.   
  
* * * * * *  
  
The plan was simple.   
  
All Ryuichi had to do was sneak in and grab Kuma from Shuichi's pants and get out (they were right there on the floor by the couch), but being real sneaky-like so Yuki didn't see him and get grumpy. Creeping along he came across the pants and Kumagarou, who he immediately placed atop his head in the usual fashion. From the doorway Hiro gave him the thumbs up sign and beckoned for him to return . . . and yet there was a curious amount of noise coming form the bedroom. In fact, Ryuichi was convinced Shuichi and Yuki weren't asleep at all. It even sounded like they were discussing plumbing. Crawling over to the door he peered in.   
  
"HOLY SHIT!" Exclaimed Ryuichi.   
  
The unexpected intrusion naturally caused Shuichi to drop his plunger in surprise. Yuki wasn't holding anything to drop, but then it must have been pretty hard to hold anything when you were tied to the headboard like that. Not to mention they were both naked or nothing.  
  
Ryuichi quickly covered Kumagarou's eyes.   
  
"Er . . . this isn't what it looks like?" Tried Shuichi. It was times like this, you know . . .like when one of your best friends walked in on you having kinky sex? That you really appreciated that locks existed on doors for a reason. 20-20 hindsight however. So Shuichi did the next best thing, clapping twice the lights went out. Luckily Yuki was gagged so if he just kept quiet enough Ryuichi wouldn't find them and go away.  
  
Ryuichi however had already seen this trick when he walked in on Tohma and Mika doing something . . . remarkably similar, so he was suitably unimpressed. "Let's go home Hiro." Sniffed Ryuichi indignantly. Kei had already explained this was a two people only game (except sometimes and since he wasn't invited, this was obviously not one of those times), so Ryuichi figured his time was better spent at Hiro's.   
  
THE END  
  
*It wasn't until several days after the event that Hiro thought to wonder exactly when Ryuichi had moved into his apartment. But that's another story.   
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE:  
  
The ending sucked. But then they always do... ever wonder why they have those corny jokes at the end of cartoons to like round them off? Maybe its cos the writers are almost as bad as me and don't know how to end it otherwise... I have no corny joke for you... its just I'm determined to finish all my half-done fics - even if they have the crappy endings : ) then I can start something new !!! I wanna write something really cool for the obsession competition _ but I doubt I will be able to come up with anything v.v#  
  
I ended up dropping the timestamps... er... kinda when I realized its 48 hrs to declare a missing person, not 24... I'm so stoopid... v.v 


End file.
